All-music Expressionism

Max Oppenheimer (1885-1954) was fascinated by music and gathered inspiration for his favourite themes within the world of music. The piece up for auction  "Bildnis Carl Flesch" from 1921 was created the day after Oppenheimer had attended a Mozart concert, which made a huge impression on him, and the man portrayed is one of the most distinguished musical virtuosi of the time – the Jewish violinist Carl Flesch from Hungary.

Part of the German Art Scene

As a young man, Oppenheimer studied at the academies of art in Vienna and Prague, but in 1912 he moved to Berlin and became part of the German expressionist movement. In the years just before the First World War, the arts went through considerable changes, and the German capital served as a cultural centre for the European avant-garde. Contemporary artists influenced each other across national borders, and of particular importance was the development of the cubist idiom as well as the Italian Marinetti’s release of the futuristic manifesto on the cover of ”Le Figaro” in 1909. The influence of these groundbreaking schools of thought is evident in Oppenheimer’s painting, where the conductor, the musicians and the instruments interweave in a chaotic muddle of shapes. One can almost hear the music playing, and the piece stands as a symbol for music, where all parts of the composition interact and depend on one another.

Jewish, Homosexual and Avant-garde Artist

Oppenheimer thus drew parallels between the two art forms, but he also shared other features with the portrayed violinist. Oppenheimer was also Jewish – and homosexual too and a proponent of modern art. He was therefore an exponent of three minorities, which were all banned, oppressed and persecuted by the Nazi regime. After Hitler came to power, works of art by Oppenheimer as well as by other avant-garde artists were considered a sign of degeneracy and removed from the museums in 1937. Oppenheimer emigrated to New York in 1938, and here he spent the rest of his life.

”Menschen finden ihren Maler”

To Oppenheimer, the piece up for auction was one of his most important ones, and he included it in his famous book ”Menschen finden ihren Maler” (“People Find Their Painter”) from 1938 together with a number of other significant musical themes. In the book, he describes the musical experience, which became the foundation for the creation of the painting:

"As the orchestra finished tuning, the tangle of noise gradually faded. - Chords subsided and flutes died away in the rumbling of the timpani. - A door opened. The brightness that flowed in showed a greying man heading for the centre. Delicately, he carried a violin before him. He received applause as he stepped into the spotlight, for which he reservedly showed his appreciation. Then he stood quietly as if to collect himself, as the orchestra performed the introduction to Mozart's violin concerto in A major. As he played it sounded like the music of the spheres, his violin leading with a silvery tone into a fading adagio which was replaced with a joyful frolicking allegro that sprung forth from the occasionally tragic shadow (...) It was as if I saw the violinist and hearing the minuet-like rondo that he played through a mist, playing wonderfully and to the highest expression - until it lispingly faded away. The next day however, I painted the portrait of this violinist still under the impression of yesterday's experiences. The violinist, who like few others, could awaken such impressions through both the greatness of his musical interpretation and the inspiring nature of his performance".

Reaching Safety in Denmark

During the Second World War, the painting escaped destruction when a Jew transported it out of Germany and to Denmark, where the grandparents of the current owner acquired it. This is a well-elucidated work of art, however its recent ownership has until now been unknown, and it is therefore a great surprise to find such an important piece in a Danish private collection. 

Auction: Monday 8 December at 4 pm at Bredgade 33 in Copenhagen

Preview: 20-24 November at the same address

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